Parliament members in Portugal voted overwhelmingly on Oct 10 to reject proposals to allow same-sex marriage in the Western European country.
The rejection was spearheaded by the governing Socialist Party and their main opposition, the Social Democratic Party. Proposals in support of same-sex marriage were generated by the minor parties, the Left Bloc and the Green Party.
Between them, the proposals garnered the support of just over 10 percent of the 230-seat Parliament.
Gay marriage is permitted in only three European Union nations–Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain.
The Socialist Party leadership urged that a national debate would be needed before changing in the marriage law to allow same-sex marriage.
According to an opinion poll published in the newspaper Jornal de Noticias on the day of the vote, 53 percent of respondents opposed gay marriage and 42 percent supported it.
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